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Lowell says the hotel was designed to create an intimate, relaxed experience

When Hollywood star Richard Gere selected the decor for the Bedford Post -- the boutique hotel he co-owns with his wife and fellow actor Carey Lowell -- there was one thing above all else that he wanted to embody in the design.

"Sex -- every choice in here was about sex," joked Gere, as he took CNN's Richard Quest on a tour of the eight-bedroom luxury inn.

This amorous sentiment was echoed in a slightly less forward fashion by Lowell, who said "romance" and "intimacy" were key inspirations behind the hotel's design. She said they had tried to create an open atmosphere where guests feel at home and comfortable to be themselves.

"It's just a relaxed place," she said, adding that each room had been designed to exude a "serene" aura -- reflected in the muted palette and earthy tones used throughout the inn.

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Richard Gere's boutique hotel

Situated on the outskirts of the sleepy town of Bedford, in upstate New York, the Bedford Post is a renovated old country home that dates back to the 18th century. The movie-star couple bought the house after spotting it whilst horse riding in the area. At the time it was derelict, on the point of collapse, but they have renovated it to meet the specifications of a luxury retreat.

Both were keen to highlight, however, that they have been careful to remain true to the site's rustic charms.

"All the stone walls are from rocks that were here," Lowell told Quest, with Gere adding that many of its wood beams date back to the original building.